The Sound of Silence
by elementneko
Summary: Why are you so quiet? Something's off. InoxShika oneshot - T for swearing. From the Prompt: The Sound of Silence (hence, title)


Hostility was simmering under his skin and it took most of his energy just to keep his face as neutral as possible. It wasn't like Shikamaru to get all riled up. It wasn't like him to worry about anything at the best of times. Yet, here he was fuming. Really, though, he supposed it was completely natural to be furious at a man who had his head buried in the neck of a woman who was definitely _not_ his girlfriend. His girlfriend, who just so happened to be Shikamaru's best friend (besides Chijo, of course).

"Uh, Shikamaru?"

Speaking of which. His (other) best friend had been talking to him, hadn't he? Shikamaru blinked and shifted his gaze to see the concerned look of his rather large friend.

"Sorry, Choji," he glanced down at the drink he was white-knuckling, unsure if he should inform Choji of what was occurring just behind him. Almost as if reading his mind, Choji arched an eyebrow and swiveled his head around. The man visibly stiffened and turned around with a reddened face. Clearly he wasn't thrilled, either.

"He can't do that to her!" A tight fist slammed onto the bar's counter top and shook his own drink. Shikamaru took note that he was justified in his anger.

Shikamaru sighed, clenching and unclenching his jaw. He had to try to focus on his friend and not look at the adulterer he was pretty sure he hated.

"What do you suppose we do?"

Choji was quiet for a moment, shifting in his seat while he mulled the question over. They both knew starting a commotion would be in very bad taste and likely get all of them in the infirmary. The larger man frowned, "We have to tell her."

Suddenly Shikamaru's throat was dry and his tongue seemed to have swelled in his mouth to keep him from either agreeing or objecting. He knew that would be the conclusion before Choji was even aware of the situation, he just didn't want to have to see the face of his pretty friend twisted with hurt. She was too good to be hurt, and yet here the asshole was with his arms around someone else.

The pair of friends paid off their tabs and walked in the direction of Ino Yamanaka's home. Both were in no hurry to relay the information they just saw for fear of any reaction she'd be likely to have. She was known to use force whenever she felt strongly about anything and even if she didn't hit them, neither wanted to see her hurt, either. The trio had been friends for years and even with life happening, the three were still tightly knitted.

When they arrived to the residence, they were surprised to see her sitting on the porch swing, expressionless with her hair down. Both were completely out of character and while their strides quickened, the friends grew increasingly worried. When blue eyes met their gaze, Ino gave a small, tired smile and let her eyes close briefly before opening them and sliding over.

"Hey, guys," Ino greeted in a too-quiet voice. The men took seats beside her, more and more worried with each new action she made. She took a deep breath and looked up into the quiet sky and the few stars starting to come out.

"He confessed he had been seeing someone else," she finally explained to them. Shikamaru kept a stoic face and Choji's visibly turned to deeper concern.

"Are you okay, Ino?" Choji asked, leaning a little over Shikamaru to see her better. Her mouth tilted and she shrugged.

"Not really, but I'm pretty sure I destroyed half of his house, so there's that."

Choji gave a sight chuckle and Shikamaru's mouth twitched just so to show amusement. He didn't understand how she was so calm. There were no rings around her eyes, and they weren't red from crying. Her voice wasn't hoarse to indicate any screaming and it didn't look like her knuckles were red to any punching, either. She just seemed completely off.

Her kind friend with red cheeks offered to take her for ice cream, to which she gave a smile that shined - the only thing normal - but declined. She explained that she just wanted to sit outside for a while longer, look at the stars and digest everything that happened. Her friends were very skeptical but she assured them she was fine. She didn't tell them that there were other things on her mind besides the betrayal her now-ex-boyfriend had committed.

Shikamaru leaned back into the swing and put a soft hand on Choji's shoulder. "I'll stay," he spoke quietly with a nod. Choji nodded back and stood, swinging the pair still sitting. After he left, Ino sighed softly and leaned into Shikamaru, who in turn put his arm around her and pulled her in automatically.

Minutes went by and while Shikamaru was easily content with the silence, he still knew it was out of character for Ino, so he was the first to break the silence.

"You're very quiet," he noted to see if she would explain.

He felt her laugh and shrug into him. Ino sat up a little straighter, but kept one arm loosely over his waist.

"Trust me, I wasn't quiet earlier," she laughed again and Shikamaru gave a slight smile. She grew quiet again before continuing, "Mostly, I guess I know of knew it. I wasn't even that upset about it, really." Shikamaru rose an eyebrow and looked down at her. Not upset about it? He had a very hard time believing that, but she had no reason to lie to him. This whole was just off, he thought.

Ino chewed on the side of her cheek which had grown ever-so pink. "I had a feeling he'd call it quits when I stopped really feeling the whole... Relationship thing with him. It was just shitty that he decided to _cheat_. Fucking asshole."

At least she was sounding like her, just a little more. Shikamaru took comfort in that.

"So, of course, I had to go a little crazy. No one cheats on Ino Yamanaka and gets off scotch free, ya know?" He chuckled and nodded in agreement. He expected absolutely nothing less. Still, though, Ino "not feeling it" anymore? That was certainly unusual. In any relationship she was ever in, she put herself fully into it. She had stopped explaining and was comfortably lying against him, but he wasn't satisfied with her answer. Which was unusual for him, too. He almost rolled his eyes at it. He was going to have to do some prodding. How exhausting. Now it was his turn to sigh.

"You weren't done explaining, Ino."

Ino slowly pulled away from him with a scowl and a still-pink face. "You never care, Shika! Why now?" She crossed her arms over her chest and he couldn't help but find her adorable. He rolled his eyes and pulled her back into his side where she belonged.

She huffed but didn't fight against him, "So I have to keep explaining but you don't? Really unfair, Shika. Real unfair." It grew quiet again and just when he was about to, yet again, prod, she spoke quietly.

"I just... I finally woke up to the realization I need to be with my soulmate instead of messing around." Clearly she thought this was a good enough explanation and she stopped talking again and Shikamaru was even less satisfied with this answer.

"Soulmate, huh?" He was going to have to actually put effort into getting her to talk. This was beyond bizarre and he could scarcely believe it. Ino pulled away again to give him an incredulous look which showed she, too, felt this was bizarre.

"Why are you so interested, Shika?" She softly shoved a finger into his chest, "You never care about my relationships."

Shikamaru had to bite his tongue to tell her how wrong she was - she was his best friend! Of course he cared about what concerned her. His interest seemed to have convinced her to keep talking though, and she did so with an odd sort of smile on her face. Something between amusement and caution.

"Yes. My soulmate. I know who it is and it wasn't him," she shrugged and sat back to look at the sky again, which had grown darker and was now shining with stars.

The man signed in exasperation. She was stopping again, seriously? Usually he couldn't get her to shut up and now she was reluctant to spill everything on her mind? Absolutely ridiculous, this woman was.

"Care to share who this is? I need to approve, you know."

Ino laughed loudly and grinned at him, "Yes, trust me I know you do. Even though you almost never do." She laughed again though let it grow soft.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you," she thought about this for a moment and Shikamaru gave her his undivided attention to let her know to continue, "Because, really, I can only be with him once you figure it out."

Shikamaru's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. That made absolutely no sense. Why would he-?

Wait.

Heart now pounding in his chest, he struggled once again to remain with a neutral face.

"I have to just figure it out?"

"Literally, I can only be with him once you figure it out."

Now, Shikamaru was not a stupid man. He could be a little slow when it came to women, especially his rambunctious and unpredictable blonde friend, but he was not stupid. He was good at puzzles and could easily put two-and-two together. Yet he was second-guessing what he thought this answer was. If he was wrong, unlikely, but if he was wrong, he would be very wrong and come out a complete asshole. She usually called him an asshole anyway, but this time it would be true.

They were both quiet while he was processing and coming up with the most logical explanation. Ino was gently running her fingers up and down the smooth, tanned skin on his arm cause a breakout of goosebumps. His mind quieted as he watched her and his lips upturned. He reminded himself that with her, it was always full of effort, but it was never complicated.

So stopped her hand with his, causing her to look up at him questioningly. At the look on his face, her own softened and once again she chewed on the inside of her cheek, hoping he got it. He had to have, right? He was the smartest person she knew.

His next movement proved he did when he pulled her arm just enough to bring her closer and in proximity for him to bend his neck and let his lips meet hers. She inhaled deeply and easily freed her arm to wrap it around him to which he did the same. The slowness of the kiss took no time at all to speed up and change the mood to feverish. Completely in sync, she moved and he helped so she was straddling his hips, her hands now in his hair and his low on her waist.

Faces warm and red, they parted for air and shyly looked at each other as if for the first time.

"I have no idea who yours soulmate is," Shikamaru told her with a sly smile playing lazily on his lips. Ino rolled her eyes dramatically and let her head fall back in a boisterous laugh.

"You're such an asshole!"

Then her lips were on his again and he was pulling her as tightly as he could to him. The first sound that exited her throat had him lifting her easily and neither could be more glad that they had discovered this new territory on her porch.


End file.
